Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
For years, coworking cafes have offered a quiet, caffeine-fueled workplace for those in need of a productive place to get work done. Now, several of these workplaces are starting to offer on-site daycare in order to appeal to working parents.
Donna-Rae Crooks, founder and CEO of Brain Snacks, said that her company caters to both men and women, but emphasizes the fact that it is a women-led business looking to close the gender gap.
“The gender gap affects all women, and it’s not only about the difference in wages,” said Crooks. “It’s also about the gap that exists in opportunities, scope of influence, access to leaders and corporate sponsorship, to name a few.”
Amanda Munday, CEO and founder of The Workaround in Toronto, realized the biases towards working mothers after both of her maternity leaves. She stated that, while people were somewhat accommodating of her parental responsibilities like doctor’s appointments, she was met with resistance.
Munday also said that she struggled to find consistent, affordable childcare in Toronto, and was spending a large portion of her salary paying for daycare.
Since launching The Workaround, Munday said that her clientele includes about 50/50 remote workers and freelancers, while the majority of Brain Snacks consists of working moms of toddlers and newborns.
“I wanted to demonstrate how productive parents are,” said Munday. “They have to do more with less. You can definitely work remotely and do a good job.”
